The aim of the competition was to find defining images of Britain today. Entries flew in from far and wide; over 1,700 images were submitted across the categories (Urban, Landscape, Culture and Stock). Judges of the popular competition included iStockphoto’s Kelly Thompson (COO) and Simon Moran (UK Director of Photography); Guardian Picture Editor Roger Tooth; acclaimed photographer and artist, Danny Treacy; and independent photographer, Jill Mead. The winner was selected for his uniqueness in presenting a compelling scene of Britain today and for overall strength of execution and composition of their photograph.
Roger Tooth:
“This is a great representation of a British child play acting as a US cultural icon in a back-alley of a midland city. The way that the boy confronts the camera and viewer is irresistible. The few details in the background eloquently give clues to where the picture was taken. The colour is saturated well and the picture is pin-sharp from front to back. ”
Danny Treacy says:
“The Western Ranger image has a subtle ambiguity that increases the viewers desire to engage with it. It addresses notions of stereotype, ethnicity and the state of ‘Britishness’ in contemporary society. There is a strong aesthetic quality to the image, the elements of composition, contrast and colour are all considered and used effectively.”
